Decluttering! A Month of It! NOW to Oct 31, 2016!
 

Hi.

More decluttering, cleaning up, clearing out, moving stuff, tossing stuff, donating stuff, repairing stuff, sharing stuff and a place to say you're doing this stuff right here!

Post your projects and commit to the process.
See it through.
Change is good.

today's MUST DO list
 

Within the next few months we're going to be moving.
I think we are going to prepare for the move in advance of finding a new place to rent but for today the challenge is to be inspection ready when the landlord's guy comes at 5pm. I am moving stuff from the apartment to a storage locker plus there is general clean up.

1-clear off/under table in dining room YES-good enough.
2-clean up bedroom get all clothes off bed and into drawers or laundry hampers YES
3-clean off desk and dresser surface in bedroomYES
4-wipe down shower tiles and around toilet YES
5-do all dishes put them away YES all done. NO not put away
6-clear off kitchen table and chairs and under itYES
7-tidy living room YES
8-wash up bad areas of the floor throughoutYES
9-fill car with stuff for the locker YES
10-drop off after guy's visit and before I pick up DHYES

Part of my self-care this week is getting caught up on the things that I always feel behind on. I'll note that I've already caught up on the Tickler, In Box, and checkbook in recent days.

Balance credit card statements.

Reduce email in box. Starting with 2274 total, 739 unread.

Clear mail stack.

I've got more things, but let's get started with those.

Update.

Balance credit card statements. No progress.

Reduce email in box. Starting with 2274 total, 739 unread. I spent most of the day on this and made a lot of progress -- I'm now at 1050 total, 147 unread.

Clear mail stack. I sorted it, but now I need to deal with what didn't go into the recycling.

Dropping by to claim one credit: I donated an unused clothes drying rack that was taking up basement space. A worthy cause advertised looking for one and I delivered ours.

Just one small step, but it feels good.

Thank you for checking in gardenerjoy and Billblueyes. We move forward bit by bit.

I have a generally uncluttered living space now . The dishes don't stay in the sink but get washed and not always put away. I need to finish that job alwayts. No Choice would be effective here.

I have been trying to daily deal with the small messes that happen. Mostly I am on top of it but I can see I will need a bit longer session and more intense work to clear some areas after only a couple of days of not focusing there. This is really like maintenance after weight loss. There is still work to be done, in a different way, but if you don't pay attention you will slide back to the same old same old.

onebyone: yeah, I'm realizing that, too. Maintenance takes almost as much energy as getting the job done in the first place, but it's a slightly different energy and one I find harder to access. And, yeah, to new messes. I'm busy trying to catch up and a new project arose yesterday -- one of the electronic keys to our car quit working. That's going to take a trip to the dealer.

Balance credit card statements. I completed the backlog. I wasn't as far behind as I thought. But new bills came in while I was busy getting this done, so it's not really off the list.

Reduce email in box. Starting with 2274 total, 739 unread. I spent a second big day on this with real progress -- 106 total emails, 0 unread. The last time I got anywhere close to this far, though, I stopped the project. The last 106 emails are obviously ones that I'm resisting in some way. If I was willing to file them, I would have done it in the last couple of days. If I was willing to be finished with them, I would have done it by now (the oldest is from 2014). So, it's still a big project to get this completely emptied -- a project that I hope will help me identify habits that will allow me to empty the In Box every day. We'll see.

Clear mail stack. It's clear! I dealt with yesterday's mail first thing this morning just so I could write that.

@gardenerjoy Very quick reply as I'm just in from the garden for a cup of tea. You'll understand, I know! Your key doesn't just need a new battery, does it? When this happened to me the first time I was flummoxed (put that in specially for your BrEng interest, in case it's not in NAmEng).

:wave: all. Got to get back outside. Lovely, lovely day and there's lots of clearing up to do in the garden. I've made big strides this year by just putting in the time, as you said above.

Thanks, silverbirch! One of our electronic keys needed a new battery. So, we changed the battery in the other one, too, assuming that it would need it soon -- changing the battery broke it! I've got an appointment tomorrow so we'll see if that's how they interpret events.

I paid bills so I can balance the new credit card statements. This is helping me get information that I need to understand our medical billing from DH's appendix operation. I swear we're getting duplicate bills just because they hope that we'll be confused and pay twice.

No progress on email. Except that I realized that it's unrealistic to think that I'll get the in box to zero every day. A few emails really do need a day or two to percolate because I need to do something else first, or to see if someone else will step up and take care of it, or to be a source of information for something happening in a day or two. But letting email sit for a few days (turning into a few years) is how I get myself in trouble. My goal may be to get my in box to zero at least once on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Most weeks things wrap up in those days so I should be able to make that work.

Oh, let me know. I am in two minds about these electronic keys. They are so big that I was leaving mine in coat pockets or in my rucksack and getting to the car without it. And if it's in the rucksack or other bag it gets knocked and doesn't work hands-free when I get to the car. Now I've put it on a lanyard which works but isn't quite the look I'm aiming for.

I can't get over the number of emails you get, gardenerjoy! Is there any way at all of cutting down?

silverbirch: I probably do need to cut down on the emails that provide useful information but that I'll probably never act on. Yesterday, I got an email about how to make better use of Pinterest to promote my blog which starts thoughts about how great that would be. So, I think I'll just hold on to this email until I have time to do it. That's exactly the sort of thing that will sit in the In Box for months. And, then, I'll end up filing it under Marketing where I'll probably never look at it, but at least it will be there if I ever want to. So, I could file it under Marketing right now or, probably better, I could get off the list that sent me that email so I don't go through this again. It's not like I couldn't figure out how to use Pinterest for promotion with some research, should I ever decide to take on that project. Thanks for helping me think through this!

I balanced the credit card statements, yesterday. And, then started the next project -- a spreadsheet of all the medical bills for this year. I'll need it, anyway, in February or March for taxes. Doing it now means that I can better understand the bills as they come in and make sure that I'm not paying them twice. I'm not aiming for perfect understanding here (that would require matching up bills with insurance payments, at least), but I want to make sure that I don't do something really stupid.

web searches
 

Joy...I found out that nearly every email that is sent from a company, nonprofit, org, whatever, has info that can be found through a quick Google search. How to use pinterest to help blog, etc. I had hundreds that I deleted and honestly rarely have even searched for the topic. If it's written, it's searchable it seems. And it takes seconds if you do want the info.

Goal tomorrow is another goodwill run to drop off.

The electronic car key had to be replaced -- expensive! While I was getting service anyway, I went ahead and did all the other things that the car will need before winter sets in. It was a little early, but close enough especially since we may do some car traveling in the next couple of months.

No progress on the other projects. I may get something done late this afternoon.

A bit long
 

Oh no! (about electronic keys)

I've been thinking about nationalparker's comments on Google searching.

I'm a researcher. Before the internet I would save newspaper cuttings and articles, I'd visit far-flung and obscure libraries and interview lots of people. I have the filing cabinets to prove it. Nowadays, I don't do so much of that because a lot of straightforward information (and some fairly obscure stuff too) is there on the web, if you search carefully enough. And we've got Skype too.

When I started using the internet (quite early) I saved a lot of bookmarks because my library and real world experience had shown that you had to do that to save yourself a lot of time if you wanted to go back to something. Nowadays, I still do it but much, much less.

And as more and more people have uploaded interesting material and search engines have improved I've begun to throw out some physical research material that is too old to be useful to me any more and which is, I know, archived elsewhere.

So all this is a roundabout way of suggesting to gardenerjoy that her saving of emails is a habit from the old days of librarianship and that it's not necessary any more. It was a very useful and sensible habit, in my view. And it doesn't mean that a librarian's skills aren't necessary, just that they've changed. And also that most 'users' are now much more empowered than they were, pre-internet.

Must go, am at work. Four filing cabinets here and one at home ... I've actually got the shredder on the go this afternoon.

Got a huge load to Goodwill this weekend. DH had suggested I clear out a small side table and take there. I was okay with that, after thinking about it. So as I'm putting it in the car, he decides he can put on a new "top" to the table, and will round the edges and all. SO in the midst of his replacing the house trim project, he puts a new top on it to see what it'll look like. No rush to get it done, so it'll be a winter project, I suppose.

I found I especially wanted to save coupons that would be emailed from, say, a restaurant - $10 off two entrees, etc. You can even search for those, too.

I read that 80% of the clutter in most homes is a results of disorganization, not lack of space. For me, it's holding on to too much for what I need. Even small notebooks - I LOVE PAPER. I love a fresh journal, or a notebook, or a small memo pad to jot a list on. But I have too many and have started using my good ones for my to do lists. Why die with unused pads? ;) We're getting buried in magazines, as I love a good magazine. For some, like DH's Guitar Player magazine, I bought a pretty fiber basket to put them in and they're handy for him to grab while he is playing in the living room - to try out a riff, etc. I brought a stack of others into the office for lunchtime reading in the kitchen stack. Feels good to be making progress.

Goal tonight - clean off DR table from misc. oddities I've put there this weekend from unpacking holiday decor. Will put in a bag before dinner and then walk around after dishes are cleaned up and put the items where they'll reside. Would also like to repot my HUGE peace lily from mom's funeral two years ago. I don't pay it attention where it currently is and need to give it some loving. Wish someone near me wanted it. I have a gorgeous pot that I usually use for a norfolk pine through the holidays, but this will take precedent now. I can't just throw it away and it can't take the brutal sun or freezing winter.

Greetings October de-clutterers!

I thought I would crash your party! I'm in a good mood because I just had our FOURTH garage sale since June. :carrot: We sold and gave away loads of items (mostly gave away). The remainders were ferried off to goodwill, three boxes of precious items specially packaged for storage (as potential hand-me-downs), and only one bag put in the trash.

....and the garage is pristine! It took me two days of painting, fixing shelves, and cleaning the floors. Not only does it look great, but everything has a home.

As for the rest of the house...this good mood will continue only if the Cleaning and De-cluttering machine keeps moving!

...errrm...Gardner? Tickler? (I'm almost afraid to ask?)

hello!

I continue on daily but have so many different things going on sometimes I lose focus. My office got pretty cluttered the past week as it seems the drop off point so this morning I've already picked up and put away before packing to go to Glenwood for several days. I've done good downstairs but have a few catch ups before I go. The yard moves along but my list got squashed last week as we spent half of Saturday beefing up the fence for our new pup and the other half doing some sealing on DH's new roof. Credit for both.

My brain hooked on the email thing this past week and I spent a nice quiet time sitting on the porch unsubscribing from a lot of stuff I get regularly. I don't need notifications of my e-statements I know where they are. I don't need pep talks of how to vote on a certain issue. I have already decided. I don't need emails from 3 different retailers I shop with since I only buy what I need when I need it. The inbox has already slowed down.

Keep it up everyone!

Yesterday, I dropped off about ten boxes of books for the big book fair that supports early childhood literacy in the St. Louis area.

SeeMyFeet: I love my Tickler file: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG0FU_M_YB8. But, I do get behind on it once in a while. It's much more effective if I keep up.

Oohh, a painted garage interior ... hmmmm... that sounds interesting, SeeMyFeet! We're having the exterior trim painted and typically clean out the garage completely before winter, maybe i could do that quickly myself to give it a fresh clean look. I like painting (but not up high). We have so many projects lined up, and have saved the $$$ ones. All in good time, I suppose.

Despite the big donation dropoff on the weekend, DH found even more he's ready to part with (clothes), so will take that up this week, I think. Keep the dropoffs moving and then no field mice get in the bags. (We live next to a big field and they sometimes sneak into the garage, attic, etc.)

Good point, Silverbirch (regarding easily finding things on the internet). My rule is: if you can find it on the internet, I don't need to keep it. Although I am not an ardent follower of this rule (recipes, books). Ooooh, if only DH would follow such a rule--I'm afraid I might find some silverfish when the cleaning/de-cluttering machine gets to the basement where he has a large bookcase filled with journals...for reasons he will not divulge. But with this philosophy, bookmarks and lists do become important.
Many Thanks for the video, Gardner! I had forgotten about Getting Things Done. (I see a website I can look over.) I have lots of hanging folders lying around, so I should set up a Tickler system for home. (Wonder if I will keep up with it.)

oh, ha, nationalparker! The garage walls are white...nothing special. It's an early 21st century house, so the garage walls are drywall. My bro painted the garage in his house using a mixture of leftover paint once. Came out a pretty pale bluish gray.

...I'll have to have an Unsubscribe day in my Tickler....

Jumping in on this post because september and october has been all about minimizing, for me :) I hardcore cleaned my desk at work, and at home, I've reorganised my closet and am in the last phase of sorting old papers!!!

It fees pretty good, doesn't it!

I've been so busy yet still keeping our home a priority. I just came off my work days and the laundry and dishes are caught up, bed made and kitchen sink clean. When I keep up with the basics there is room for new projects.

Last week we spent Wednesday painting and replacing the window trims on the East side of our mobile home in Glenwood. It was my suggestion and now it's finished. Yay! It was the last reliable weather day or we would have had to put it off until Spring.

DH got motivated and so today we are sanding/painting our porch in I.Spgs. Same....nice weather and another project we don't have to do in Spring.

I have 5 days and very nice weather to work in the yard. I have a goal to have several areas ready for planting in the Spring. This year the beds weren't ready and when Dh left for Alaska sooner than expected I just couldn't keep up. It took me quite awhile to find the little oil bottle in the basement for the mini-tiller but I did some culling and reorganizing in the process. I have new soil ready to put in a front bed and I want it to get tilled in before frost. I believe I can get a lot accomplished today in between porch painting. If I keep going outside with the nice weather I will greet Spring with some exciting new plans instead of just trying to eradicate very old weed patches. Yay! One step at a time.

Sounds great, Lexxiss and SouvenirDarling! I feel like I'm coasting a bit until the next "challenge" or timeframe pops up. A friend put out a request for stuff for her garage sale and I was able to give her two bags of clothes from both DH and I and was surprised since we'd just dropped off a CRV-load at Goodwill a few days earlier.

Project that might be next is flooring and to do that in our dining room, we'll have to remove everything and take down some wall shelves (to remove the carpet underneath them) and that might help me in making it more visually appealing to start from scratch again. I don't want to get rid of some family items but having a bin and exchanging them now and then would be ideal. I don't want a dining room that looks like a Pottery Barn or Ballard Design showcase with everything bought from a store to look uniform ... I do want the memory pieces and photos but not as much as I do have on there. And some of the family pieces from great grands and grands are a bit colorful :)

Goal for this weekend (which sound be good weather here) is to clear out patio pots and replant with pansies, etc. Cull them down to just a few in a pretty arrangement and pack the rest up for winter safekeeping. Brought a gardenia inside when the temps dropped and it's been pushing blooms all week - it didn't bloom this much all summer. Beautiful scent.